Shared Prosperity funding results in £2.3 million injection for district’s economy
The Winchester district’s economy has benefitted from a cash injection of £2.3 million over the last four years thanks to the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Funds.
The funding has been directed by Winchester City Council into local business and community projects across the district, with a total of 82 projects benefitting from grants over the course of the programme.
The scheme has also helped to unlock further local investment through match funding, with every £1 in funding generating an additional 92p for district-based initiatives.
Among the projects receiving funding were those focusing on helping people to develop new skills, improving access, enabling businesses to expand their operations and assisting organisations with reducing their carbon emissions.
Organisations to have benefitted from the funding have included Hursley-based OHCO Coffee, which was able to purchase an electric tuk-tuk to allow mobile catering, as well as Exton-based Morton Pattison, which was awarded funding to purchase a tractor and equipment to help diversify its services and improve the way they manage grassland to benefit local biodiversity.
Another organisation, Droxford-based SF6 Recovery, which captures and repurposes harmful greenhouse gases used in high voltage electrical systems, was able to make use of £45,000 to purchase a new trailer-mounted pump, enabling them to expand their operating capacity and increasing their ability to recover the harmful SF6 pollutant.
Talking about the grant, Ian Stone, Engineering Director at SF6 Recovery Ltd, said:
“We are extremely grateful to Winchester City Council for their support through the Shared Prosperity Fund. Receiving this funding is not only a practical boost for our business, but also a recognition of the importance of the work being done to safely manage and recover SF6 - a gas with a significant environmental impact.
As a specialist company operating in this field, it is encouraging to see local organisations backing innovation and environmental responsibility within smaller businesses. The support will help us continue developing our services and contribute to wider efforts to reduce emissions of SF6 gas and protect the environment.”
Speaking about the grant’s impact, Winchester City Council cabinet member for Business and Culture Cllr Lucille Thompson said:
“Our Shared Prosperity Fund programme has had a huge impact right across the district – over the last four years, we estimate that our grants have helped over 560 people gain new skills, created over 2,300 square metres of wheelchair accessible space, and recovered over 40,000 square metres of green space – to name just a few of the benefits.
“It’s been really exciting to see many of these projects come to fruition first-hand and see how they’re helping to improve our district and boost our vibrant local economy. SF6 Recovery is a great example - an innovative, Winchester-based business that has been able to scale up its operations as a direct result of this funding."
